Portable apparatus for scientific identification of an individual

ABSTRACT

A portable apparatus for scientific identification of an individual comprises, in a container (1) in the form of a small suitcase, a computer which is compatible with operating systems intended to use programs for scientific identification. The computer is connected to a monitor (2) and to a keyboard (3); it is able to be connected to a printer which is external to the container, and is predisposed for remote connection to a processing center responsible for identification. The apparatus further comprises a fingerprint reader (4) connected to the computer, and a digital camera (5) connected to the computer.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention concerns a portable apparatus for scientificidentification of an individual.

As is known, establishing identity is a matter of great legalimportance. For example, in the area of criminal law, ascertaining theidentity of a corpse or identifying an accused are essential elements ina process for arriving at the truth. Thus, incontrovertibly ascertainingthe identity of a prisoner also allows justice to pursue its course.

In other more common aspects in everyday life, ascertaining personalidentity becomes a matter of considerable relevance; consideration maybe given to the phenomenon of illegal immigration, or the fairly commonevent of people who are stopped for judicial investigations andenquiries and who are not in a position to prove their own identity.

In the case of living persons, the current procedures provide scientificidentification which more specifically involves the implementation of anidentification card on which are noted descriptive, photographic,fingerprint and anthropological data of the person to be identified. Inthe majority of cases, even if this operation is limited totranscription of the stated generalities, the steps of applying theindex fingers which have been previously pressed against an inked pad,and applying the identification photograph of the person beingidentified, and the compilation of the card, or the card-indexingprocedure, generally take up a period of time of not less than 60minutes on the part of the police organisation with responsibility forthis. Added to that time is the period required to travel from the placewhere the person was stopped, to arrive at the ‘card-indexing’ point,generally a provincial office of the administrative organisation inquestion, and the time necessary for sending the card to an office,generally a regional office, at which processing of the data takesplace. Here in particular, a fingerprint expert carries out theidentification procedure. In that case, that is to say when thecard-indexing operation is not effected directly at the regional office,the overall time for identification may even amount to two weeks, due tothe further known delay in transmission. It is apparent that such anoverall period of time can exceed the maximum period of detention forestablishing identity, as is permitted by law, thus totally nullifyingthe effects involved.

In addition, with the current procedures and with the availableequipment, it is impossible for identification of a person to beimplemented at a place different from the above-indicated offices, thatis to say at the station at which a person is actually detained or at anadjacent station, such as for example in a reception camp, in a mobileoffice, or in a railway or airport police detention centre.

In addition the actual operation of examining the fingerprints, which iscarried out by experts by virtue of comparing those taken from theidentification card and those on record by a procedure of scanning thecards which have been previously recorded involves a high level of errorand a considerable amount of time.

The procedure also involves an operation for cleaning up the image ofthe fingerprint after scanning of the card document, before insertion inthe database.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore it is an object of the present invention to permit personalidentification at any location.

Another object of the invention is that of reducing as compared with thetimes for generating an identification WO 99 16025 A (RAYTHEON CO)relates to a stand-alone workstation to be used in connection with abiometric identification system. The workstation comprises a portablecomputer, a biometric data input system, and a portable communicationsterminal coupled to said portable computer. Said input biometric datacomprises input fingerprint data and photographic data, which areobtained through a fingerprint scanner and a camera respectively. Itshould be understood that the cited document provides only generalsuggestions for a portable integrated apparatus but does not teach on aconcrete structural solution. card, or card-indexing, as compared withthe times required at present.

A further object of the invention is that of reducing the times requiredfor storage of the data detected on the identification card inappropriate databases.

Still a further object of the invention is that of eliminating theoperation for cleaning up the image of the fingerprint beforeincorporation thereof in the database.

It is a further object of the invention to reduce the probability oferror in terms of comparison of the identification data detected withthose stored in said databases.

A still further object is that of making the personal identificationprocedure adaptable to the various procedures adopted by variousorganisations in different countries.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a portableapparatus for scientific identification of an individual, characterisedby comprising, in a container in the form of a small suitcase:

-   -   a computer which is compatible with the operating systems        intended to use programs for scientific identification is        connected to a monitor, to a keyboard and to a printer external        to the container, and is equipped with means for remote        connection to a processing centre responsible for        identification,    -   a fingerprint reader connected to the computer, and    -   a digital camera connected to the computer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will now be described, merely by way of example,with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, and with reference tothe Figures of the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the portable apparatus for scientificidentification according to the invention,

FIG. 2 is a front view of the apparatus of FIG. 1, and

FIG. 3 is a side view of the apparatus of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

It will be appreciated that various alternative configurations may beused without thereby departing from the scope of protection of thepresent invention.

Referring to the Figures the apparatus according to the invention hasthe external appearance of a container 1 in the form of a smallsuitcase. Preferably it is of a parallelepipedic shape and is made of arigid, generally metallic material, for example comprising shapedmembers 17 of aluminium alloy in order to achieve characteristics oflightness, strength and resistance to external agents and forces. Thecontainer 1, preferably at the tips of its corners, has dampingelements, generally as indicated at 10, 11, which act asshock-absorbers. As shown in FIG. 1 the container 1 also has a handle 12as a gripping element for transporting it.

Accommodated in its interior the container has a computer and thecontainer is of such a structure as to contain removably therein amonitor or video display 2, a keyboard 3, a fingerprint reader 4 and adigital camera 5 (in this case a miniaturised digital camera), all thosecomponents being connected to the computer with associated interfacecards.

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 3, in which the container 1 is shown inthe open position, a side face thereof which is indicated by reference13 can be closed by the keyboard 3 which acts as a cover. The keyboard 3has at least one pair of handles (one thereof is shown in FIG. 3 andindicated by reference numeral 30) which also serve as legs for inclinedpositioning of the keyboard. Shock-absorber elements 31, 32 are providedat the corners of the keyboard 3. Even if it is clearly necessary foroperation of the installation, the keyboard connecting cable is notshown in the Figures.

Referring now to FIG. 3, the monitor 2 is supported orientably by meansof two opposite side arms which are indicated by reference numeral 20and which are pivotably mounted to the walls 14 and 15 of the container1. In the closed position (not shown) the monitor 2 is in a verticalposition in a seat parallel to the keyboard 3, when applied as a coverto the face 13 of the container 1. The monitor 2 is also provided withshock-absorber elements as indicated generally at 21.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 the fingerprint reader 4 is mounted on a slide40 in the form of a plate, which is movable transversely to project fromthe face 15 of the container as indicated by the arrow F. The reader 4is removably connected to the slide 40 by a locking mechanism asindicated at 41 but which will not be further described herein, whichmay be of any suitable type for the operation which it is to perform. Atits outward end, at least on one side, the slide 40 has an arcuaterecess 42 to make it easier to use the finger to entrain the slidingmovement of the slide 40.

In a side face 16 of the container, which is remote from that of thecover keyboard 3, the camera 5 (FIG. 2) is mounted in a body 50removably received in a housing recess 51 disposed at a positioncorresponding to a corner of the container 1. For this purpose the body50 of the camera 5 and the housing recess 51 are provided with aprismatic retaining coupling diagrammatically indicated at 52 in FIG. 3.The camera 5 is self-lighting by virtue of light sources mounted in thebody 50 thereof. The light sources which are diagrammatically indicatedat 53 and 54 are two lamps provided with parabolic reflectors andintended to be used in the case of shooting with a low level of light.Provided in the upper part of the body 50 are actuating push buttons 55and 56 (FIG. 1) of the camera 5. The body 50 of the camera 5 is normallyconnected to the computer by a connector. When it has been extractedfrom the housing 51 in the container 1 in the manner indicated by thearrow G (FIG. 3) the body 50 with the camera 5 remains connected theretoby means of a cable (not shown).

Diagrammatically shown in FIG. 3 in the side face 14 of the container 1are the connector port 6 for connection to a printer which is externalto the container 1 (the printer is not shown), a connecting socket 7 fora telephone line, a power supply connection 8 with a switch, and aconnection 9 to a local network, besides other connectors for connectionof the keyboard 3 and the monitor 2.

In that way the apparatus according to the invention is predisposed forconnection to the printer and for remote connection to a centreresponsible for identification.

When the apparatus is in the rest position it is completely closed; theside face 13 is closed by the keyboard and the side faces 14 and 15respectively of the connectors and output for the reader 4 are closed bypanels (not shown). The keys of the keyboard 3 then face the screen ofthe monitor 2.

In the position of use the keyboard 3 is brought out by rotating itoutwardly through 90° whereupon the keys are uppermost. The monitor 2 isthen displaced from the interior of the keyboard and oriented in themanner shown in FIG. 3. The monitor and the keyboard are normallyconnected to the computer by means of their cables (not shown).

The apparatus is ready for the card-indexing operation.

On the keyboard 3 the operator keys in the specified general data forthe person being identified, as well as all the other descriptive andanthropological data required in the areas envisaged by the applicationand visible on the monitor 2. That person's fingerprints are acquired byway of the reader 4, by setting the fingers down gently for a very shortperiod of time, while the camera 5 is used to frame the upper part ofthe body of the person being identified and captures the electronicimage thereof when judged appropriate.

At that moment, a total of a few minutes having passed, thecard-indexing procedure is complete; all the data necessary foridentification will have been acquired and the apparatus willautomatically proceed to implement remote connection to the processingcentre for downloading the acquired data. Immediately thereafter, withconnection to a printer (not shown), the apparatus is capable offurnishing the data on a physical support such as a cardboard card or acard of plastics material or ‘badge’. The data will be applied to theidentification card in the conventional ways with encoding and thusprotection from forgery.

The advantages of the apparatus, which will be apparent from theforegoing, include primarily the saving in time, effectiveness in useand reliability, as well as the adaptability to the most widely varyingdemands of the areas in everyday life, in various countries, with thesimple substitution of the operating systems involved. In summary, itscharacteristics permit a substantial improvement in the current typicalidentification procedures.

1. A portable apparatus for scientific identification of an individual,comprising in a container in the form of a small suitcase, a computercompatible with operating systems intended to use programs forscientific identification and connected to a monitor and a keyboard and,the computer being connectable to a printer external to the container,said computer being equipped with means for remote connection to aprocessing centre responsible for identification, a fingerprint readerconnected to the computer, and a digital camera connected to thecomputer, wherein: the fingerprint reader is mounted on a slide slidablein such a way as to project from a face of the container for use and toreturn to the interior of the container when not in use, and the digitalcamera is removably received in a housing recess provided in a corner ofthe container, the digital camera and the housing recess being providedwith a prismatic retaining coupling.
 2. Apparatus according to claim 1,wherein the monitor is supported on each of two opposite sides thereofby at least one pivotably mounted arm for displacement between a restposition in which it is internal to the container and parallel to a facethereof and an orientable position of use in which it is external to thecontainer.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein, in the restposition, the keyboard is capable of constituting a side face of thecontainer, while in the working position it is separated from thecontainer.
 4. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein, in the restposition, the keyboard is disposed in a reversed condition with the keysfacing towards the monitor in such a way that it is already in theoperative position at the moment of use.
 5. Apparatus according to claim1, wherein the container is made of rigid material and has at least thetips of its corner covered with shock absorbers of rubber.
 6. Theapparatus according to claim 5, wherein at least one of the keyboard andthe monitor includes at least one shock absorber positioned adjacent thecontainer shock absorbers in the rest position.
 7. The apparatusaccording to claim 6, wherein both the keyboard and the monitor includeshock absorbers positioned adjacent the container shock absorbers in therest position.
 8. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprisinga handle provided to the keyboard, the handle projecting from thecontainer in the rest position, the handle being constructed to functionas a support leg when the keyboard is in the operative position.
 9. Theapparatus according to claim 1, wherein the fingerprint reader slide ispositioned so as to extend from a lower portion of a side wall of thecontainer.
 10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the camera ispositioned on a rear wall of the container.